How to protect yourself from online romance scammers

Q. My 70-year-old female friend is a widow and was the victim of a romance scam. Could you please write about this scam so others will not be duped into thinking they had met their true love. You will be doing a great service. Thank you. M.S.
Americans have fallen in love with online dating services, according to Statista, a global data platform. According to a 2024 survey, roughly half (47 percent) of women using online dating services were victims of a romance scam. These scams steal not only